Brian Gay and Scott Hend share the lead in the Senior PGA Championship
BRADENTON, Fla. (AP) — Brian Gay finally figured out how to play the par 5s at Concession Golf Club, making up ground with an eagle-birdie finish for a 4-under 68 to share the 36-hole lead with Scott Hend of Australia in the Senior PGA Championship on Friday. Hend had five birdies over the last eight holes for a 65, a far more conventional round of eight birdies against only one dropped shot.
They were at 10-under 134, two shots ahead of major champions Stewart Cink (67) and Retief Goosen (69), with Ben Crane making his senior debut with a 69 to join them. But it was quite the adventure for Gay. He fanned a 5-iron into the bushes on the par-5 13th after starting the second round on the back nine of Concession.
He twice went into the bushes trying to take his drive over the bunkers on the par-5 17th and then lipped out and took double bogey. Gay made a par on the next par 5 at No. 3, but only after hitting his second shot into a palmetto bush, taking a penalty drop and getting up-and-down.
But he got his reward with an eagle on the par-5 eighth and closed with a birdie. “Another pretty good day. A little volatile,” Gay said.
“Pretty similar to yesterday, except I butchered a couple of par 5s. Two of them with one bad tee ball, two good tee balls, but other than that, I putted well again. Just a couple of balls in the bushes.